Europe’s top clubs continue to keep an eye on one of the Eredivisie’s brightest young midfield talents, with Keith Smit firmly on the radar of Real Madrid and several other Premier League clubs.
According to respected transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, the 19-year-old has been extensively scouted by some of the biggest names in European football, but any move is far more likely to happen in the summer than during the January period.
Smit’s rapid rise at AZ Alkmaar has gone unnoticed. The technically gifted midfielder impressed with his maturity from an early age.
Functioning both as a playmaker in deep positions and in a more advanced midfield role, Sumit has become a central figure in AZ’s long-term sporting project, with the elite club closely monitoring his progress.
Real Madrid enter race to sign Keith Smit
Among those interested are Real Madrid, who are thought to see Smit as fitting into their strategy of investing in elite young talent before they reach their peak market value.
Their interest is particularly strong as the Spanish giants have a strong track record of signing up-and-coming midfielders and gradually integrating them into the first team.
Along with Madrid, several of the Premier League’s biggest clubs have sent scouts to keep an eye on Smit, but there is further interest from across Germany and Italy.
Premier League giants Chelsea recently established contact with the midfielder in a bid to bring him to Stamford Bridge in the near future.
Meanwhile, Manchester United are also looking to rebuild their midfield under manager Ruben Amorim and have expressed interest in signing the Dutchman.
Despite the increased attention, Romano reported that AZ Alkmaar have no intention of allowing him to leave midway through the season.
Dutch clubs are financially stable and are not under pressure to sell, which has allowed them to take a firm stance in negotiations.
AZ Alkmaar has a price tag in mind
Importantly, AZ is determined not to weaken the team during the season, especially as they still have goals for this season.
Valuation is a hot topic. Previous reports suggested that Smit could be worth around 50 million euros, but AZ have now revealed that figure is significantly lower than expected.
In fact, the Eredivisie side have already rejected an offer that could reach 60 million euros.
Those close to the player believe that another season of regular football in the Netherlands will be beneficial to his development and allow him to hone his game before taking the step into Europe’s elite leagues.
Real Madrid and Barcelona, Europe’s strongest teams, join race to sign PL defender
